# Jameson



## daleo8803 (Jul 29, 2014)

My dad loves Jameson. For my 21st bday he gave me a bottle of Jameson select reserve small batch. I'm 25 and I finally opened it. Not bad. I'm trying to educate myself on Irish whiskey. I have tried the cheapest Jameson and their 12 yr old. I have seen that they have a gold select is it any good? Any other recommendations for a cheaper ($75 or lower) whiskey?


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## Chad202 (Jul 29, 2014)

The Macallan Sherry Oak (12 Year) if you can it at a good price. My local shop has it at about 60 bucks but its the best whiskey ive tasted. You get complexity, body and loads of leather, cherry, and smokiness. Not to mention that it BITES so if youre smoking make sure the stick can stand up to it. Jameson is nice but ive had it a little bit too much. Good luck. Im sure the vets here at Puff have other great suggestions.


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## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2012)

daleo8803 said:


> My dad loves Jameson. For my 21st bday he gave me a bottle of Jameson select reserve small batch. I'm 25 and I finally opened it. Not bad. I'm trying to educate myself on Irish whiskey. I have tried the cheapest Jameson and their 12 yr old. I have seen that they have a gold select is it any good? Any other recommendations for a cheaper ($75 or lower) whiskey?


IMO the different Jameson's are like different crown royals not much more than age and a marketing ploy.....try some bushmills green or black, Tullemore dew is good ,2gingers is ok but feels flat with little real flavor, I just recently bought a bottle of the Knot, newly released Irish whiskey and it is by far my favorite right now over Jameson. Neat it has a nice warmth and good spice on the swallow, with a splash of h20 or ice it takes on an entirely different flavor than I can even describe except as heavenly, it's a mix of cinnamon(not red hots) nutmeg and so etching my wife refers to as the stuff in cherry cordials....absolutely worth it and it was less than 30 a fifth


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## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2012)

Chad202 said:


> The Macallan Sherry Oak (12 Year) if you can it at a good price. My local shop has it at about 60 bucks but its the best whiskey ive tasted. You get complexity, body and loads of leather, cherry, and smokiness. Not to mention that it BITES so if youre smoking make sure the stick can stand up to it. Jameson is nice but ive had it a little bit too much. Good luck. Im sure the vets here at Puff have other great suggestions.


Scotch is a whole different animal.


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## Mokano (Apr 26, 2014)

daleo8803 said:


> Any other recommendations for a cheaper ($75 or lower) whiskey?


In the Irish family, I don't think you can go wrong with Redbreast. It is within your price point easily--I don't think I've ever seen it over 50.


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## daleo8803 (Jul 29, 2014)

Thanks for the replys guys. Will have to try a few of these.....


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> ......bought a bottle of the Knot, newly released Irish whiskey ............


Your description had me intrigued, :dance: but it turns out that it isn't whiskey.... out:

Thanks anyway!

:rockon:


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

I like 2 Gingers...oh wait, we're talking about whiskey? ound:


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## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2012)

fiddlegrin said:


> Your description had me intrigued, :dance: but it turns out that it isn't whiskey.... out:
> 
> Thanks anyway!
> 
> ...


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## Pandyboy (Mar 7, 2012)

I love the standard Jamesons and was lucky in 2001 to visit the distillery. I picked up a master blended bottle and it was lovely.

I also enjoy the Bushmills in the green box, very nice tipple.

I find Irish much more creamy than Scotch. It is usually down to the way the grain is malted. Irish is allowed to breath with the malting area vented and it is tripple distilled. Scotch is almost burnt when it is malted as this gives it the smokey flavor that people enjoy. It is also usually only twice distilled.

Keep trying as it is a big world of whiskey/whisky


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## havanajohn (Apr 4, 2009)

Stick with the Jameson 12 yo. To me it is sweet without the harshness of Scotch, and shaken with a few good (spring water) ice cubes is a great companion to a full bodied cigar. Also the regular Jameson blend is very good in eggnog!


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

Pandyboy said:


> I love the standard Jamesons and was lucky in 2001 to visit the distillery. I picked up a master blended bottle and it was lovely.
> 
> I also enjoy the Bushmills in the green box, very nice tipple.
> 
> ...


I do not enjoy scotch or whiskey, but like you i was lucky enough to visit The Bushmills Distillery in 1995 and was amazed at their operation. One of the coolest things was their special selections that were being aged in barrels. There was a 25-year old special whisky being stored in barrels, which were already all sold to individuals or restaurants/bars with the owners names painted on each barrel. It was like a who's who of celebrities names on each barrel. While I don't remember all the names the one that jumped out to me was LeVar Burton's barrel, who at the time was staring on TNG. Yes, I am a closet Trekkie.


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## Pandyboy (Mar 7, 2012)

MDSPHOTO said:


> I do not enjoy scotch or whiskey, but like you i was lucky enough to visit The Bushmills Distillery in 1995 and was amazed at their operation. One of the coolest things was their special selections that were being aged in barrels. There was a 25-year old special whisky being stored in barrels, which were already all sold to individuals or restaurants/bars with the owners names painted on each barrel. It was like a who's who of celebrities names on each barrel. While I don't remember all the names the one that jumped out to me was LeVar Burton's barrel, who at the time was staring on TNG. Yes, I am a closet Trekkie.


Great story, I did like him in TNG.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

I switch between Jameson and Bushmills. Like the Bushmills honey but not all the time.
I think one of Jameson's best is the Red Breast made the really old fashioned way. Flavors are just incredible!

oh and @MDSPHOTO don't like whiskey or scotch?!!&#8230;.. get thee behind me satan!!! lol


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman is lined with copper and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." Mark Twain.


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## Reggie (Oct 21, 2013)

I've sampled a lot of whiskies and have found that many will change somewhat the longer the bottle is open - sort of like a cigar resting. If your bottle of Jameson isn't hitting the spot now, set it aside for a few months while you try something different. You might find that you like it better when you come back to it - not uncommon with many whiskies. (this doesn't work unless the bottle has been opened and exposed to some air)

Bushmills Black Bush was like that for me - new=meh but I was really enjoying it a few months later after it "rested".


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

Mokano said:


> In the Irish family, I don't think you can go wrong with Redbreast. It is within your price point easily--I don't think I've ever seen it over 50.


I agree. Redbreast is the one enthusiasts rave most about on the boards I've been on, and is considered good value for money. It's the one I'd recommend for sure. Jameson is a blended Irish whisky with both Pure Pot Still and grain whiskies. Redbreast just has Pure Pot Still whiskey and comes from the same distillery (Middleton) that makes Jameson.


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

piperdown said:


> I switch between Jameson and Bushmills. Like the Bushmills honey but not all the time.
> I think one of Jameson's best is the Red Breast made the really old fashioned way. Flavors are just incredible!
> 
> oh and @MDSPHOTO don't like whiskey or scotch?!!&#8230;.. get thee behind me satan!!! lol


I know, I know and the crazy thing is I'm Irish!


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

daleo8803 said:


> I have seen that they have a gold select is it any good?


Jameson Gold is a mature Jameson blend that has been given a brief secondary maturation in virgin oak. I got a 200ml collection of Jameson 12, 18 & Gold. Out of these I liked the Gold the best although if someone wanted smoothness the 18 might be their pick. That virgin oak maturation does give it some spice character that is different.


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## garublador (Jun 5, 2014)

daleo8803 said:


> Any other recommendations for a cheaper ($75 or lower) whiskey?


That's a bit like asking for good cigars under $15. There are a ton of them.

Redbreast was my first thought, too. I think the 15 year old is more than $75, but if you want to get something special it's totally worth it. Personally, I preferred the 12 year cask strength (watered down to a more drinkable level) than the regular 12 year, but the difference was minor.

I haven't heard any love for Powers yet. Their regular stuff is better for Irish coffee than Jameson, IMO, but not as smooth straight. However, their 12 year Gold Label is pretty good for the price ($35-$40). It's up there with the Jameson 12 year and the Bushmill's Black Bush.

If you can find Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey it's definitely worth trying as well. So is Michael Collins 10yr Single Malt.

There are a couple threads about how to get into Scotch that are worth reading. IMO, Scotch from the Lowlands or form the Highlands that isn't peated will be most similar to Irish whiskey if you're looking for a starting point.


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## daleo8803 (Jul 29, 2014)

Bought a bottle of 12 red breast. I like it. Has a different notes compared to Jameson. Thanks again for the recommendations guys!


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